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R1150RT - Overheat in heavy traffic?

J

Jade

New member
I'm relatively new the the RT, so forgive me if this seems like a naive question. How vulnerable are these bikes to overheating in stop-and-go traffic on a hot day? I was up in Daytona for Biketoberfest and saw the heat gauge crawl up a couple of bars in traffic, and it was far from a hot day for Florida. I had seen somewhere that the RTPs have a cooling fan and I got nervous. I'm looking for a little "peace of mind"/preparedness feedback.
As always, thanks.
 
Jade said:
I'm relatively new the the RT, so forgive me if this seems like a naive question. How vulnerable are these bikes to overheating in stop-and-go traffic on a hot day? I was up in Daytona for Biketoberfest and saw the heat gauge crawl up a couple of bars in traffic, and it was far from a hot day for Florida. I had seen somewhere that the RTPs have a cooling fan and I got nervous. I'm looking for a little "peace of mind"/preparedness feedback.
As always, thanks.
Click to expand...

I had a 1100RT and two bars up is not a big deal. but I wouldn't want to go much more for a long period of time. If I lived in Florida and rode a lot in town, I might look into getting the fan installed. But if you don't do a lot of stop and go in town I wouldn't worry about it...
 
They can be called whatever somebody calls them but they are fundamentally air cooled engines. Yes oil cools the hottest parts of the heads and flows to a cooler but something has to cool that oil and that is air flow across the cooler. Now some police bikes have fans on their coolers, but normal Oilheads don't. So some air flow through the cooler is necessary. And that air flow comes either from being parked facing a fierce wind, or by the bike moving through the air.

So yes, prolonged stoppages or paddle-foot progress in hot weather can overheat the engine.
 
For extra insurance I use Mobile One oil....it simply takes the heat at higher temps for a longer time without breaking down.....oil that is cooked goes thin and fails to lubricate as well. If you are worried, you can "smell" burnt oil....it smells a bit burnt and looks extra dark. the smell is the real give away....
 
As long as that Mobil 1 oil has the additives and service rating required by the engine, depending on the age of the engine. I used to use Mobil 1 in my 94 RS fo many years. My owners manual specs a SF or SG service duty oil rating, which the current Mobil 1 oil does not meet. I have since changed to Valoline Racing 20W50 which does contain the needed ZDDP additive to meet the SF/SG rating.
 
Look again... Mobil 1 Motorcycle V-Twin meets the requirements. You don't have to have a V-twin to use it. Autozone carries it...
 
Jade,
With the RT, there is more to overheat than the engine. The plastic panels ("tupperware") near the exhaust headers can melt. This is most common when the bike is started and left to idle for too long, but at least one forum member reported melted plastic in stop-and-go traffic.
 
kgadley01 said:
Look again... Mobil 1 Motorcycle V-Twin meets the requirements. You don't have to have a V-twin to use it. Autozone carries it...
Click to expand...

our bikes ARE v-twins. just very widely splayed v-twins is all.

but I suspect that most folks who go with Mobil 1 are not necessarily using the m/c version of it.
 
Thanks guys. I really appreciate the input and hope I didn't start another oil war (I've been through oil wars in other forums) :uhoh I do use Mobil 1 for V-twins though, having come to all the conclusions above.
What I was hoping for was some first hand information about:
Is the engine heat gauge reliable for judging possible overheating in traffic?
If so, how high can I let it go before I'd be advised to pull over to the nearest oxygen bar and shut down for awhile.
Ditto for judging the point where I should be concerned about melting plastic.

Thanks again.
 
I have a R1150RTP, "Authority Bike" which does have the cooling fan. It normally runs with five bars showing on the temperature gauge. I have seen seven bars showing a few times but have never heard the fan kick on, so it must take a higher temperature than seven bars indicate, to turn the fan on.
 
I ride in Vegas and I dropped a bar when I switched to Amsoil. Also the only overheating I have experienced is when I left the choke on. :wow
 
Jade:

I live around the South Florida area and I understand your concern. Although I do not ride the bike usually in heavy traffic, my temperature gauge usually runs a 5 bars in normal riding and rises to 6 bars when riding in the city.
I??ve read somewhere else about the use of a 12V computer fan installed in the oil cooler but I have not explored this possibility since most of my rides are on the highway.
May be a detailed search or suggestions from someone who has installed them could help us to weight this possibility.
 
Why stop???

I spent a couple of years in southern California, riding various bikes. I learned to 'cut' traffic when I wanted to get somewhere (the laws there said it is OK to share a lane). :dance I now live in Oregon and the laws are different:dunno. I usually stay within the law and ride in my lane (although I don't understand why it is OK in one state, but unsafe in another). When I am stuck in traffic on a hot day, I have no problem 'cutting lanes'. I figure that my bike is more important than someone elses idea of what is best for me in all circumstances. :scratch
 
I have installed two computer case fans onto the oil cooler, hooked up to a thermocouple which I attached to the oil cooler with thermal epoxy. Works fine, only turns itself on during hot days and shuts off within a minute of the engine being shut off. I don't think about the oil temps any longer.
 
I have an RTP, and thus have the oil cooling fan installed on my bike.

Granted I live in the Pacific Northwest, so I rarely ride in extreme temperatures. However, when I have ridden in 100+ degree temperatures, I have only heard the fan activate once - while in miserably hot stop and go traffic for over an hour crawling through Portland, OR traffic.

My point is that if I can't get my engine hot enough to activate the fan, you're likely not getting your engine hot enough to do any damage.

My advice would be to exercise common sense. If the oil temperature indicator suddenly rises, it's likely related to a mechanical issue and not an increase in ambient air temperature. If it seems like it's running too hot, it probably is. Stop and let it cool down.
 
Cool evening about a month ago, El Paso, insane right lane jam, 5 then 6, 7, finally 8 bars. I finally got into a moving lane and cooled it down. I use Mobil 1 V Twin with a half can of LubroMoly. No damage that I can tell, still runs sweet. It is possible to get them HOT in stop and go (6-7 bars was the worst until that evening) and I'd love to have a RTP fan, but haven't found one yet. This is why a friend of mine swears by K-bikes. I love the growl of the boxer.
 
I had a K75, and the cooling fan spindle drilled a hole in the radiator, ruining both. Good times. Sometimes simpler is better.

These are the same engines used in Paris/Dakar rallies. They can take the extreme heat - especially in the short periods of time called our commute.
 
This thread must be my good luck charm. I scored an RTP fan assembly on Ebay. Anyone know how these things are wired in?
 
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